Salute to PR Game Changers in Lagos
Speech by the 2023 Lapriga Selection Committee

It is an exciting time to be in the public relations profession in Lagos, Nigeria and worldwide. A confluence of factors has established the significance and value of the discipline. Many organisations and institutions are paying even closer attention and recognition to public relations, unlike in the past.

Our colleagues have grown in stature in their jobs and organisations. We now have members who manage the function as directors, GMs, and senior counsel.

Our colleagues have grown in stature in their jobs and organisations. We now have members who manage the function as directors, GMs, and senior counsel.

This is the optimistic setting for Lapriga 2023, the eighth edition of the respected Lagos PR Industry Gala and Awards.

Lapriga 2023 continues the tradition of recognising those holding the banner of best practices in our field. The Lagos State Council increased the award categories from 23 in 2022 to 25 this year, as the Lapriga Awards Selection Committee recommended.

The Lapriga Selection Committee received 106 entries. We will recognise winners in 20 categories chosen by the Selection Committee and honourees of the Council. There were no winners in five categories.

Winners in 2023 are those who best approximate the criteria for each of the categories. We evaluated entries based on originality, creativity, resourcefulness, and adherence to set standards.

Congratulations to those who will mount the podium tonight as winners. We found their pitches worthy in content, presentation, and character. It was highly competitive. In many categories, the competition was stiff. We shared it with members on the voting platform.

Unfortunately, only 288 Lagos NIPR members voted from our 5000-membership base. Should we continue to seek votes at this rate if members do not participate? What do you think?

There are many lessons from those who could have made the mark. The Selection Committee considers it practical to share those critical learnings against the competition next year.

1. More effort. Many of the entries needed to depict more action or conviction.
2. Poor elevator pitches. Lapriga is a contest with clear criteria. We received entries that were oblivious to the need to pitch. Indeed, one of the entries was for the new category of Environment and Sustainability. We were excited when we saw an entry from one of our foremost organisations in that sector and eagerly sought to know what they did during the year. Zilch. It just had the name of the organisation! That was all the pitch.
3. Non-membership of NIPR. Like last year, this aspect was shocking to the Committee. People who wilfully stay away from membership in NIPR or from paying their dues still seek to win validation from the body. Pray, how does that work? We threw such entries to the dustbin.
4. Arrogant self-assumption. Some contestants assumed their name or position was a direct entry to the prize. They should have showcased their works or provided evidence that they read the criteria and had the requisite qualifications.

We sympathise with those who pressured the Chairman of Lagos NIPR. We report that in pursuit of professionalism, the supportive Council of the NIPR gave a free hand to the Selection Committee. Final decisions were collegial and featured the two topmost officials as members of the Lapriga Committee. Please do not do that next year. Please assist Lagos NIPR in upholding integrity and professionalism so that our awards will continually be respected.

Two categories were of concern to the Selection Committee. These were the Best Use of Research and Measurement and Digital and Social Media Agency of the Year.

There was no entry for Digital and Social Media Agency of the Year. The entries for Best Use of Research and Measurement spoke in generalities and long narratives. Some told their eight-year history.

Meanwhile, the criterion for that category was straightforward. It concerned “The deployment of research as a contribution to public relations strategy and execution in critical areas of Inputs, Outputs, Out-takes, Outcomes or results of communication in attitudinal or behavioural change”.

These two categories raised a red flag. Research, measurement, and social media are central to global public relations and communication discourse. We know that professionals in Lagos deploy these two specialisms in their work.

NIPR Lagos Council is considering the recommendation of the Lapriga Committee to have a pre-competition workshop next year to help sharpen the entries.

We congratulate those who emerged winners through this highly competitive quest.

Chido B. Nwakanma, mnipr
Chairman of Lapriga Selection Committee.

Pictures courtesy of Chido Nwakanma, mnipr